NHS property company announced

More details of the government-owned firm that will take ownership and management of the NHS estate have been revealed.

In a written statement laid before Parliament, health secretary Andrew Lansley revealed the organisation will be called NHS Property Services Limited.

It had previously only been referred to by the generic name “PropCo”.

While arrangements for the organisation will be finalised in the months ahead, Mr Lansley said its objectives will be to: hold property for use by community and primary care services, including for use by social enterprises; delivery value for money property services; cut costs of administering the estate by consolidating the management of over 150 estates; deliver and develop cost-effective property solutions for community health services; and dispose of property surplus to NHS requirements.

He said the venture would generate saving that will be “spent on improving local services for patients” and that sales of surplus assets will help make managing parts of the NHS estate much more efficient.

The firm was registered at Companies House on December 20 with DH commercial director Peter Coates and DH official Benjamin Masterson are listed as the firm’s two directors.

The company is expected to take over assets owned by primary care trusts, such as offices and health centres, community hospitals and clinics.

In a letter dated January 19, NHS deputy chief executive David Flory asked PCT cluster chiefs to send details of all land, buildings, equipment and cash held by their organisations, giving them a deadline of February 17 to complete their submissions.